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Brent B Seminoles
Hudson describes in limited detail the Seminole Indians. He briefly explains the Native American groups movement originally from Alabama, into Florida, and relocation into Oklahoma. Some Seminoles took refuge in the Everglades (ATL, 162). This page covers the orgin of the Seminole Indians, the movement of the tribes, taking note of the push and pull factors that encouraged/forced their development and relocations, as well as where Seminoles are today. Seminoles were originally made up of the Native Americans from several areas in the lowland south, the Creek people, and some African Americans. During the Indian removal/relocation period many of them were forced to Oklahoma, and a small number of them defended themselves in the Everglades. The Seminoles of Florida refer to themselves as the “Unconquered People”. Today there are Seminole people primarily in Oklahoma and Florida. The Florida State University mascot is a Seminole. This page covers the significant events and factors that altered the settlement of the Seminoles. Also covered is how the Seminoles moved before European settlers and after including key events, such as Indian removal and the Seminole Wars. The Seminoles were quite resistant to the United States Government. Origins of the Seminoles The first Seminole Indians began with bands of Creek Indians from Georgia and Alabama. Seminoles were originally made up of the Native Americans from several areas in the lowland south, primarily the Creek Apalache, and Apalachicola people. Sources: Morris, Allen . "Facts - Division of Historical Resources." Division of Historical Resources. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 June 2010. . Siginificant Historical Relocations The Creek War of 1813-1814 The Creek people were surviving fine until the arrival of the white settlers who began clearing out Indian Tribes in order to make room for the settler’s. At that time Florida was still under the rule of Spain. In 1813 the “Creeks” rose up against the settlers, the unfavorable results of the war forced thousands of the Native American Creeks to take refuge in Spanish ruled Florida. Once relocated to Florida the Creek people were joined by a number of other people groups taking refuge including escaped African Americans. This new group of refugees took on the name the Seminoles which literally means “free people” or "wild people". First Seminole War 1814-1818 Despite the relocation to Florida the Seminoles still head a long road of fighting off white settlers. Spain lacked the man power and reources to hold the Florida border and the English settlers did not like the fact that so many of it's slaves and unwelcomed Indians were taking refugee in Florida. General Andrew Jackson too it upon himself to confront the "Indian Problem", he into Florida and over the next several years burned Indian villages, and recaputured African Americans, this era became known as the First Seminole War. Second Seminole War 1835-1842 After the first war conflicts did not ease, in fact they increased. Andrew Jackson pushed through Congress an Indian Removal Act which resulted in the forced removal of around 3,000 Indian men women and children from Florida to Oklahoma that took place over the course of 7 years. Third Seminole War 1856-1858 Despite huge human and natural resource expenditures the Indian Removal act failed to flush out all of the Seminoles from Florida. The United States continued unsuccessfully to remove the Indians from parts of Florida using blood hounds to hunt them out. The last remining Seminoles defended themselves in and around the Everglades. Sources: Tribal Council. "Seminole Tribe of Florida - History, Indian Removal." Seminole Tribe of Florida - The Official Home of the Florida - Seminole Indians. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 June 2010. . Friend, Lani . "African-Americans and Seminoles." Volusia County Homepage. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 June 2010. . Seminoles Today Today the Seminoles are concentrated to two areas in the Lowland South. In the 1950's legislation was passed which allowed Indian reservations to act as entities separate from the state governments in which they were located. The Seminole tribe improved their independence by adopting a constitutional form of government. This allowed them to act more independently. There is a tribe in Florida and a tribe in Oklahoma. Florida Seminoles The Seminoles of Florida call themselves the "Unconquered People," descendants of just 300 Indians who managed to elude capture by the U.S. army in the 19th century. Today, more than 2,000 live on six reservations in the state – located in Hollywood, Big Cypress, Brighton, Immokalee, Ft. Pierce, and Tampa. The Seminoles work hard to be economically independent. To do this, they've jumped into a number of different industries. Tourism and bingo profits pay for infrastructure and schools on their reservations, while citrus groves and cattle have replaced early 20th-century trade in animal hides and crafts as the tribe's primary revenue sources. Sources: Tribal Council. "Seminole Tribe of Florida - History, Indian Removal." Seminole Tribe of Florida - The Official Home of the Florida - Seminole Indians. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 June 2010. . Oklahoma Seminoles Oklahoma houses the majority of Seminoles today. In 2004 records show there were approximately 13,675 enrolled members of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma. Of those, roughly two thousand were of African American decent. At that time only about twenty-seven hundred Oklahoma Seminole lived outside of the state. In comparison Florida had about four thousand enrolled members of the Seminole Nation of Florida. When it comes to business opportunities both nations in Oklahoma and Florida have become involved in gaming, with the Seminole of Florida becoming a vanguard for related issues of tribal sovereignty. Along with its gaming facilities, in the early twenty-first century the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma owned and operated a number of other businesses including three motor fuel outlets, three smoke shops, and one truck stop and offered its members various health programs, family services, and educational opportunities. Source: Frank, Andrew. "SEMINOLE." Oklahoma State University - Library - Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 June 2010. . Alexander, Andy . "The Official Homepage of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma." The Official Site of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 June 2010. . Other Seminole Resources and News Miccosukee Seminole Nation. "Fourth Edition of the Seminole Indian News." miccosukeeseminolenation.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 June 2010. .